Vowels that a following R changes

1. 1
   learn/lɜːrn/

   verb

   To come to know something new.
2. 2
   hear/hiːr/

   verb

   To take in a sound.
3. 3
   world/wɜːrld/

   noun

   The earth and everybody on it.
4. 4
   purpose/ˈpɜːrpəs/

   noun

   The reason something is done.
5. 5
   certain/ˈsɜːrtən/

   adjective

   Sure, with no doubt.
6. 6
   market/ˈmɑːrkət/

   noun

   A place where things are bought and sold.
7. 7
   border/ˈbɔːrdər/

   noun

   The line between two countries.
8. 8
   nurse/nɜːrs/

   noun

   Somebody who looks after sick people.
9. 9
   prepare/priːˈper/

   verb

   To get something ready.
10. 10
    compare/kəmˈper/

    verb

    To look at two things side by side.

The sentences

1. I want to learn a little every day.

2. Did you hear what the guard said?

3. This is the best coffee in the world.

4. What is the purpose of this form?

5. I am not certain about the time.

6. The market opens early on weekends.

7. We crossed the border after midnight.

8. The nurse will see you before the doctor.

9. How long do I need to prepare?

10. Let me compare the two prices first.

Pronunciation

• learn/lɜːrn/

  The EAR here is the sound in her, not in ear.

• purpose/ˈpɜːrpəs/

  Both syllables have the R vowel: PUR-pes.

• certain/ˈsɜːrtən/

  Two syllables: SER-tn. The AI does nothing.

• market/ˈmɑːrkət/

  The AR is the long open vowel, as in car.

• border/ˈbɔːrdər/

  The OR is the vowel in more, twice over.

• nurse/nɜːrs/

  Same vowel as learn and world, spelled a fourth way.

• prepare/priːˈper/

  The ARE is the sound in air: pre-PAIR.

• compare/kəmˈper/

  Rhymes with prepare, not with car.

Questions

Why doesn't the R in learn sound like the R in border?

Because a vowel followed by R changes to a different sound depending on the letters: learn uses the same vowel as world and nurse, while border uses the vowel in more, twice over.

What's the difference between prepare and compare?

They rhyme: both use the ARE sound, as in air, not the vowel in car.